The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

Next week when I hit NorCal, I'm planning to look into some new water.

What are the CA laws relating to private property and trespassing, that is, do landowners have to post their land to keep us out? Is the onus on we fishermen to learn if a route along a river is private?

In Arizona, a fence isn't enough, and if it isn't posted you can cross the land (I'm 95% sure of that anyhow. After all, I AM a trasplant from back East.)

Does a fence in CA indicate private property and no trespassing?

I understand the high water mark on navigable waterways laws, but I'm wondering about the land routes.

don't cross fences unless you ask permission. I ain't bailin' you out of jail.

are you serious? Would you walk into the backyard of a house in the suburbs if it didn't have a sign? Why would it be different for somebody with more land?

C'mon up north and catch some steelies.....and don't even bother with the 6 wt.

we have hundreds of thousands of acres that folks rent for peanuts from Uncle Sam so their cattle can get nice n' fat on desert greenery (yeah, right!).

Anyhow, they get the grazing rights but not the ownership rights and so long as there aren't any signs on the fences, you can walk onto the property. (That's what I've been told.)

We're not talking about someone's back yard with cyclone fencing.

I've heard that there is quite a bit of private property along some of the coastal streams and rivers. So, my question is, how will I know if property is private/no trespassing...with or without fences?

And yes, I'm not looking to get into more trouble with NorCal's finest.

Just did a trip down oregons coast and had the same issues. Basically I assumed if I didn't know it was public then its not. That way you are safe.

But how to tell public lands? Fishing regs on a tree are a good sign. Especially if there is a turn out with a path to the river. found lots of pull-outs with little yellow cards with regs on them. If you couldn't access there why would they put that up? Also the whole "access the river and don't go above the high water mark" rule works well. bridges are public land.
Probably the best thing to do is ask the local shops, specially for steelies cause they'll tell you where to find fish. Buy $25 worth of tying materials or leaders or something and they'll love you. You need that stuff anyway.

Where ya heading? Its friggin freezing here in mid oregon and I'm hitting the coast this weekend. Will PM ya ifn there aren't any Trinity type report! Just kiddin.

I plan to hit a number of coastals that I've never seen, the Gracia, Gualala, Navarro, Mattole, the Russian...and since some of these are in residential areas I'm posting my question.

There HAS TO be a law; either it's the landowner's responsibility to post his preference if he wants to prevent his property from being used as an access route OR it's the fisherman's responsibility to somehow discover each and every bit of private land that may border a stream.

Hence, my question.

(Local shops may or MAY NOT be able to point out all the private lands on a map. Sure, they can point out all the well-known access areas, but who wants that?)

You're not going to have any access problems on any of those rivers. Not sure about the Mattole for sure, but the rest are easy access.

the Mattole is the river where I've heard there's a lot of private property.

Just trying to avoid making the acquaintance of yet more law enforcement

personnel!

i would worry more about the meth heads and dope growers

AGAIN, not me posting this. No profile ya see.......

But I too would worry about meth heads and pot growers if I was wondering around Humbolt on private property. Just like I'd worry about moonshiners if I were to do that in TN.

driving to and in California. How many fishermen are bushwhacked every year by tweakers, bears, cougars, etc.?

Is the fishing so slow in Washington, fishhawk?

Dawn